Same old, same old for Cubs in interleague play
Different league. Same result.
Nothing changed for the Cubs Friday night as they began play against American League teams.
They followed the same script in losing 2-1 to the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas: Get a quality start from their pitcher but waste scoring opportunities and drop another close decision.
Cubs lefty Ted Lilly threw 111 pitches, 34 in the first inning, on the way to a solid 62/3-inning, 6-hit performance.
Lilly's teammates, however, let Rangers righty Colby Lewis off the hook early. The Cubs (19-24) stranded nine runners. They are now 8-16 in games decided by 2 or fewer runs.
"It's time somebody gets a big hit around here, it really is," Cubs manager Lou Piniella told reporters afterward. "Once you get past the sixth week of the season, you don't need any more at-bats to get sharp. It's really not that hard. I played 17 years. It's not like I haven't played up here. It's not that hard, it really isn't. I know everybody's trying, but it's not that hard. "
Things began well enough for the Cubs when Kosuke Fukudome led off with a walk. The Cubs gave the Rangers an out when Ryan Theriot bunted Fukudome to second Derrek Lee walked, but both Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd struck out.
Soriano was in the cleanup spot because third baseman Aramis Ramirez missed his second straight start because of a sore left thumb.
Mike Fontenot led off the second with a double and went to third on DH Xavier Nady's single to left. The Cub' only run came home when Geovany Soto followed with a double-play grounder.
The Rangers scored both of their runs in the fourth. Ian Kinsler led off with an infield single but made it all the way to third on throwing errors by third baseman Fontenot and second baseman Theriot, who threw the ball away after tracking down Fontenot's errant throw.
Vladimir Guerrero followed with an RBI double. After a sacrifice by Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz added a run-scoring double.
The Cubs didn't manage much more until the eighth, when Soriano and Byrd singled and advanced on a wild pitch. But Fontenot was caught looking.
Carlos Zambrano gave Lilly 11/3 solid innings of relief. In the ninth, pinch hitter Tyler Colvin doubled with one out off Neftali Feliz, but Feliz retired Starlin Castro on a flyout and Fukudome on a popout to end the game.
"I need to pitch better," Lilly told reporters. "I will say we're capable of hitting better. Everyone's trying to find a way. I don't think you can look at any one thing. We're in this together for the rest of the year."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p>
<p class="News">Rangers 2, Cubs 1</p>
<p class="News"><b>Three at-bats:</b> Cubs starting pitcher Ted Lilly threw 111 pitches, but 30 came in 10-pitch at-bats to Michael Young in the first inning, Justin Smoak in the fourth and Ian Kinsler in the fifth. The three batters hit a total of 18 fouls balls in those at-bats.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Castro watch:</b> Shortstop Starlin Castro had an infield single in the second. He has reached base via hit, walk or error in each of his 14 major-league games. He has hit safely in 12 games.</p>
<p class="News"><b>DH doings:</b> Despite the Rangers starting right-handed pitcher Colby Lewis, Cubs manager Lou Piniella went with righty Xavier Nady as the DH over Tyler Colvin. Nady was 1-for-4. Colvin doubled as a pinch hitter in the ninth.</p>
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